The Corossol Crater's Origins Are Slowly Revealed

In 2001, a hydrographic survey conducted by the Canadian Hydrographic Service in Mont-Joli, on behalf of the National Defence, revealed the existence of a strange underwater crater. Found near Sept-Îles at a depth of 40 metres, this circular structure generated considerable interest among researchers, geologists and geomorphologists, who saw it as an "enigmatic form" of "great interest."

Since then, scientific teams have sampled sediments and taken other measurements to determine the nature and age of the crater. The structure has a raised central core and concentric rings whose morphology and geometry resemble those of craters created by complex impacts. An article recently published in the international journal Meteoritics and Planetary Science establishes that the age limits of this formation fall between 470 million years (Ordovician) and 12 600 years BP (Before Present). According to study results, the most realistic hypothesis suggests a violent impact, probably from a meteorite. The study indicates that other radiometric measurements are required to confirm these conclusions.

Scientists named the Corossol Crater after a ship from King Louis XIV's fleet that ran aground near Sept-Îles in 1693. This discovery demonstrates how much remains to be done to truly broaden our knowledge on the country's as yet unexplored seabeds.